Scholarships and Financial Aid

Higher education can be expensive, depending on the course of study and university you choose to enrol in. Thankfully, there are ways to finance your education besides having to depend solely on your family. In this article, we explore what sorts of scholarships and other types of financial aid are available for students to pursue higher education. We also offer guidance on how a student should go about applying for a scholarship or other forms of financial assistance.

Scholarships

Merit scholarships are monetary awards based on academic or other achievements. Scholarships may be awarded by the government, non-governmental organisations, large corporations and even private foundations and individuals. Scholarships usually cover tuition fees and accommodation. Scholarships for overseas study may cover flights as well. There are, however, some scholarships that only cover tuition fees, or provide a certain fixed amount only. 

There are several types of scholarships available. These include the following:
 

• Academic scholarships
  Also known as merit scholarships, academic scholarships require you to demonstrate strong scholastic performance. In Malaysia, you need to have obtained at least 5As in SPM or its equivalent. Tuition fees may be waived fully or partially, depending on your results. Certain additional fees such as registration fees, exam fees, deposits and resource fees may, however, not be covered. 
• Extracurricular scholarships
  If you are excellent at sports, music or even art, you may consider applying for extracurricular scholarships. Such scholarships look to award students who have displayed significant accomplishments in areas such as representing one’s state or country, or having come up with an outstanding portfolio in graphic design. Some institutions also award scholarships to those who have been active in community service. Extracurricular scholarships typically cover tuition fees, equipment and monthly allowance.
• Outstanding scholarships
  These are the most competitive of scholarships as they are usually offered only to the cream of the crop. The criteria of eligibility for this type of scholarship include…

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